Since nobody \[including the folks selling the helmets\] actually know what will be safer/better for you when you specifically crash the only thing left for someone to use as data to decide on a helmet purchase is fit and marketing/aesthetics.
I'd argue that any helmet made to the typical certification standards is safe to use regardless of cost. I don't think spending more gets you more safety. It gets you more marketing, cool looks and features like fit adjustments and ventilation.
You can tell nobody actually cares about brain safety \[in a rigorous way\] and it's 95% just BS marketing hype when you watch everyone drive 120kph for an hour to a trailhead without wearing their helmets and then "worry" about brain injuries only when they get on their bikes. Driving a car is orders of magnitude more dangerous to your brain than mountain biking. And yes that's after considering air bags, seat belts and other safety features. If people really cared about their brains they'd wear a helmet in their car driving to the trailhead. I'm serious about this.
So ya wear a helmet. Pick one that fits comfortably and you like the look of, but don't act like you are "all about safety" unless you are wearing it in your car/truck.
March 14, 2019, 7:44 a.m. - Vik Banerjee
Since nobody \[including the folks selling the helmets\] actually know what will be safer/better for you when you specifically crash the only thing left for someone to use as data to decide on a helmet purchase is fit and marketing/aesthetics. I'd argue that any helmet made to the typical certification standards is safe to use regardless of cost. I don't think spending more gets you more safety. It gets you more marketing, cool looks and features like fit adjustments and ventilation. You can tell nobody actually cares about brain safety \[in a rigorous way\] and it's 95% just BS marketing hype when you watch everyone drive 120kph for an hour to a trailhead without wearing their helmets and then "worry" about brain injuries only when they get on their bikes. Driving a car is orders of magnitude more dangerous to your brain than mountain biking. And yes that's after considering air bags, seat belts and other safety features. If people really cared about their brains they'd wear a helmet in their car driving to the trailhead. I'm serious about this. So ya wear a helmet. Pick one that fits comfortably and you like the look of, but don't act like you are "all about safety" unless you are wearing it in your car/truck.